Heat pump



.. 9, 1947. E, N', KEMLER 2,432,316

HEAT PUMP ,Filed May 29. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. l

Dec. 9, 1947.

E.y N. KEMLER HEAT PUMP Filed Ilay 29. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.faer/k/-Au 1?,

l.I N VEN TOR;

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. N. KEMLER Dec. 9, 1947.

HEAT PUMP mea lay 129, 1946 [Il /x Il 111/ l 1111/ l l /fh l/lll//l//l//l l l/ Dec. 9, 1.947.

E. N. KEMLER HEAT PUIP Filed lay 29. 1946 4 Sheets-Shet 4 l N V EN TOR./Ywzw/ its upper Patented Dec. 9, 1947 HEAT PUMP Emory N. Kemler,Birmingham, Ala., assigner to Muncie Gear Works, Inc., Muncie..lnd.. acorporation of Indiana Application May 29, 194e, serial No. 672,924

s claims. (ci. sz-129) 'Ihis invention relates to heat pumps, whereinl areversible refrigeration cycle is employed for heating the air oi aspace for winter and cooling it for summer conditions; and structurallyit is in the nature of an improvement upon the structure disclosed in myjoint application with Marvin M. Smith and Clesant O. Fields, Serial No.574,478, filed January 25, 1945, issued as Patent No. 2,401.- 890, June'11, 1946.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improvedconstruction and arrangement of parts of heat pumps for utilizing theheat of mechanical energy conversion during the heating season, forreducing the effects oi' waste heat upon the air current during thecooling season, and for accomplishing this end automatically through theoperation of other mechanism employed in reversing the function of therefrigeration cycle.

These and other incidental objects are accomplished by the illustrativeembodiment of the in-` vention shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic sectional view, particularlydirected to showing the parts in position for directing the air andwater as required for the cooling seasons, the section being taken onthe line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic section similar to 2 tition 1 and the housingor other walls to completeiy enclose and isolate one of the heatexchangers and direct the air flow through the other, and vice versa.These baiiles 8 are shiftable across the housing to provide for coolingor heating of the air stream as will hereinafter appear.

Fig. 1, showing, somewhat more in detail, theH relation of the air ductsto parts of the refrigeration cycle, as adjusted for the heating season.with some of the mechanism modified to more clearly illustrate certainfeatures.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective detail of the Ventilating shutterfor the housing of the motorcompressor unit.

Fig. 5 is a three-dimensional diagram ofthe shutter mechanism.

In the form shown, the housing I is a rectangular insulated shell withan air inlet 2 leading to a lower chamber 3 and an air'outlet Li at partleading to an upper air chamber l. I

. 'I'he heat exchangers which constitute the condenser i and theevaporator 8 are arranged side by side or end to end so as tosubstantially fill a transverse zone between the chambers 3 and 4.

This heat exchanger zone in the drawings is horizontal and is subdividedVinto two air ducts by a vertical partition 'i separating the condenserl from the evaporator 6. A pair of slidable horizontal partitionsorbafiles 8 coact with'the par- The refrigerant circulating system ishermetically sealed and comprises a suction line of piping 9, connectingthe receiver Iii through the ex pension valve II and a thermostaticallycontrolled regulating valve il.i to the refrigerant coil 6.1 oftheevaporator 6 and with the intake port I2 of the compressor I3, and apressure line of piping Il, connecting the outlet port l! of thecompressor I3 through the refrigerant coil 5J of the condenser 5, to thereceiver I0.

The thermostatically controlled regulating valve II.I regulates the ilowof refrigerant to suit the demandas may be indicated by a distantthermostat at some suitable place in the space that is to beconditioned.

The refrigerant system is indicated by showing in the drawings only itsmost essential elements, and omittingV many details and refinements ofpresent-day practice which have no direct bearing on the disclosure ofthe present invention.

In the form shown, the heatpump is arranged toutilize, in the heatingseason, water as the heat source and the air of the house as the dumpfor heat oi.' the refrigerant cycle; and in the cooling season, thehouse air becomes the heat source and water is utilized as the dump forthe heat of the refrigerant cycle.

The water system comprises a service pipe IB from a water source, suchas a -city main or well, a three-way inlet valve I1, branch pipes I8 andI9 leading to condenser water-coil 5.2 and evaporator water-coil6.2respectively, and a discharge pipe 20 to which the outlet ends of thewater coils 5.2 and 8.2 are connected and which leads to a drain. Athermostatically controlled valve 2li.l controls the flow of water inthe water coil 8.2 so as to prevent freezing.

The air system comprises suitable ducts to and from the parts of thehouse to be heated and a blower 2i at the inlet 2 for forcing acirculation of air. The blower 2i and compressor I3 may have a commonmotor 22 or be separately driven. A Water pan 23 collects any water thatmay ldrip from the evaporator by reason of condensation of moisturey inthe air and also serves as a baille to direct the incoming air over themotor and compressor to cool them and utilize their waste heat duringthe heating seasons. A humidifier 24y may be located in the compartment4 for moistening the air in the heating season. The heat exchanger coilsare shown in Fig. 3 as separate water and refrigerant coils forclearness of diagrammatically illustrating the relation and continuityof the air, water and refrigerant circuits, but in practice these coilsare more intimately associated.

The positioning of the baffles 8 is controlled, as indicated in Figs. 1and 5, by a system of belts or cables indicated generally by the numeral34 with decimal suillxes to indicate individual parts thereof. As shownin Fig. 5, each baille 8 is operated by a separate endless cable 34.Each cable 34 is attached to its respective baille 8 by means of stopbuttons 36 xed on the cable and abutting against lugs 35 on the bailles.The cables 34 are driven by a drum, or drums, 31 turned by a crank 38.Each cable may be wound several turns about the drum or drums 31. Theflight 34.I of one cable passes from the drum to pulley 39, then asflight 34.2 which is connected to the upper baille 8, it passes overpulley 39.1 and then as night 34.3 it passes over idle pulley 39.2 andback to drum 31. The other 'cable -passes from pulley 31 as flight 34.4over pulley 40, then as flight 34.5 it is fastened to the lower baille8, passes around pulley 4I, then as flight 34.6 it is wrapped around apulley or drum 55, then over idle pulley 40.| it passes back as flight34.1 to its driving drum 31.

The three-way valvel 1 can be turned to supply water alternativelyeither to the condenser 5 or to the evaporator 6 and may have its handleI1.I of lever form and be positioned so that the shifting of baffles 8from summer to Winter position and vice versa will automatically reversethe valve I1. As shown in Fig. l, the valve lever I1.I has an eye I1.2at its end and the cable 34 has stop buttons 36 suitably spaced toaccomplish this shifting with appropriate lost motion. In the diagram ofFig. 3, the cable is not shown, but is represented functionally in theform of a traveler rod having the same relation to the lever arm I1.I ofthe valve I1 and to the baille 8 and its parts are numbered tocorrespond with parts of like function in Fig. 1

In the present improvement, the arrangement is such that not only is theapparatus so arranged diameters to provide the proper amount of movementto the cables 48, 49 and 50, respectively, corresponding to the amountof travel of the cable 34.6 as the plates 8 travel between theirlimiting positions for closing o either the condenser or evaporator fromthe air flowing through the housing. Thus all of the elements that haveto be shifted for converting the heat pump from its heating function toits cooling function and controlling the direction of air flow and waterilow to correspond are controlled and actuated by the single -operatingelement represented by the crank 38.

The operation of the device shown is as follows:

Except as to parts of the mechanism and equipment having direct bearingon the present invention, it should be understood that many details of acommercial embodiment of the heat pump are omitted from the drawings andthis description. For example, itwill be understood that apparatus ofthis kind may -be controlled by thermostatic appliances such that thespace which is to be conditioned will be maintained at nearly constantconditions, particularly as to temperature regulation by the user. Suchappa- 'ratus would, of course, include means for startl ing and stoppingthe motor, fan and compressor and valve. means for cutting 01T andcontrolling the flow of water at times when the motor is not operating.Many refinements of `details of the refrigerating system which areembodied in commercial applications are also omitted for like reasons.

When the parts are in the position shown Hin Fig. 3, the fan 2'I drawsair from the space that is to be conditioned and forces the air to flowthrough the housing I and to be returned from is flowing to theevaporator 6 during the cooling season.

In the form shown, there are movable members illustrated in the form ofdoors 42 and -42.I, which cooperate with a frame 42.3 to form a housingthat isolates the motor and compressor from the other mechanism of therefrigeration cycle, and an adjacent Wall of the housing I is providedwith vents 43 and 44 controlled by a sliding shutter 45 having vents 46and 41 movable into and out of registry with the wall vents 43 and 44.

The door 42 is controlled by a cable 48; the door 42.I is controlled bya cable 49; and the shutter 45 is controlled by a cable 50 which extendto drums 5|, 52 and 53 respectively on a counter-shaft 54 which isrotated by a pulley 55. As indicated in Fig. 5, the pulley may be drivenby one of the flights of the cable 34. As here shown the flight 34.6 iswrapped about the periphery of the pulley 55 before passing to thepulley 4,|J.|.

The drums 5I, 52 and 53 are of appropriate the outlet 4.! to said space.Since this air current is excluded from the condenser 5, it will passover the evaporator and be cooled thereby. Any condensation of moisturedue to this cooling of the air will be collected and drained away by thedrip pan 23. When the parts are in this position, the doors 42 and 42.Iwill be closed and will prevent the air flowing through the housing fromcoming into contact with the motor and compressor. The shutter 45 willbe in position to open vents 43 and 44 so that waste heat of the motorcompressor will pass to the outside of the hous ing.

When the motor drives the compressor I4, refrigerant will be drawn fromthe receiver I0 throughthe expansion valve II where it is expanded so asto cool the evaporator coil 6.I and will then flow to the compressor I3where it is compressed, raising its temperature; then the compressedrefrigerant vapor passes through the coil 5.I of the condenser, beingcondensed by the transfer of its heat to the water coil 5.2 and finallyreturned to the receiver I0. The water enters from the pipe I6 and isdirected by the three-way valve I1 to the pipe I8 and condenser coil 5.2and after taking up the heat that-'is dumped .into it` in the condenser,this water is drained away by the pipe 20.

When the baille plates 8 are shifted to the right across the partition 1and` into contact with the right-hand wall of the housing I, asin Fig.1, the air Vflow will be directed through the condenser ductI and willbe excluded from the evaporator. Under these circumstances the devicewill function as an airheater since the air will then serve as a dumpfor the heat of the condenser and will 'carry this heat to the space tobe heated.

As the baille plates 8 are being thus shifted for air heating, theelement 34.5 will slide through the swiveled eye at the end of the leverILI of the valve I1 until it is engaged by the left-hand button 36 andswung to the position for directing the flow of water from pipe i6 topipe I9 and evaporator coil 6.2 where heat is extracted from `heatingand cooling seasons and in orderto change from the function of heatingthe air to that of cooling the air and vice versa, the operator needonly turn the crank 38 in the direction it is free to move and rotate ituntil its movement is stopped by the engagement of the baille plateswith the opposite wall of the housing. The mat-` ter of starting andstopping the mechanism according to the needsof the space to, beconditioned is then controlled by thermostatic devices, not shown, theoperation of which, however, is well understood.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that numerous 'details of thestructure shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of the invention as dened by the following claims.,

I claim:

l. vI a heat pump, a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connectedin refrigeration cycle relation to each other, a housing enclosing saidcompressor, condenser and evaporator and having an inlet and an outletfor directingair to and from said condenser and evaporator, partitionmeans forming separate air ducts for such air flow, movable closuremeans for alternatively opening one and closingr the other of saidducts, respectively, said compressor being located in said housingbetween said air inlet and said air ducts, and movable partition meansinterconnected with said movable closure means and adapted to exposesaid compressor tothe incoming air when flowing to the condenser' and toisolate said compressor from such air when flowing to the evappartitionseparating said condenser and evaporator, a pair of baille panelscoacting with said partition and housing to out ofi the air ow at oneside of said partition, said baffle panels being shiftable across saidpartition, adapted in oneV position to direct the air flow in saidhousing across said condenser anddexclude it from said evaporator and inanother position to direct the air flow across said evaporator andexclude it from-said condenser, means adapted alternatively to extractheat from said condenser or to supply heat to said evaporator when cutoff from the air ilow by said baille means, a compressor for circulatingrefrigerant in said refrigerant conduit and located in said housingbetween said air inlet and said bafile panels, and movable partit tionmeans operatively interconnected with said baiile panels and adapted toexpose said compressor to the incoming air flowing to said conorator,vents for directing external air about-said prising a condenser and anevaporator in substantial alinement with each other across said housing.between said air inlet and air outlet, a

denser and to isolate said compressor from such air flowing to saidevaporator.

3. In a heat pump, a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, arefrigerant conduit comprising a condenser and an evaporator insubstantial alinement with each other across said housing between saidair inlet and air outlet, a partition separating said condenser andevaporator, a pair of baille panelscoacting with said partition andhousing to cut oil the air ilow at one side of said partition, saidbaffle panels being shiftable across said partition, adapted in oneposition to direct the air ilow in said housing across s aid condenserand exclude it from said evaporator and in another position to directthe air flow across said evaporator and exclude it from said condenser,water coils in heat transfer relation to said condenser and evaporator,valve means controlling said water coils, a compressor for circulatingrefrigerant in said refrigerant conduit and located in said housingbetween said air inlet and said baille panels, movable partition meansadapted to shift between a setting for exposing said compressor to airflowing from said air inlet to'said condenser and a setting forisolating said compressor from air flowing from said air inlet to saidevaporator, and a. single operating member connected for. simultaneouslysetting said baille panels, movable partition means and valve meansrespectively for of the heat` The following references are of record inthe file of this patentz. i

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date y 1,942,295 Kerr Jan. 2, 19342,044,068 Fourness June 16, 1936 2,401,890 Smith June 11, 1946

